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A group of 14 young Ugandan and Kenyan performers who were scheduled to arrive in Australia have been refused entry, forcing the cancellation of their cultural charity tour.
The group was set to perform as part of the Ubuntu Africa Tour organised by KwaYa Australia, a not-for-profit organisation that fosters cultural exchange and education for Ugandan children through music and outreach.
KwaYa Australia had planned an eight-week schedule of events aimed at promoting cultural understanding and raising funds for African youth programs. It has previously run five national tours successfully under the same initiative.
They were due to leave Africa for Australia this Friday.
Dreams dashed as visa refusals force tour cancellation
The performers had applied for the GG-408 Entertainment Activity Visa under the Cultural Subclass, designed to support programs that promote international cultural exchange.
However, all 14 applications were refused by the Department of Home Affairs, citing concerns under Clause 408.213 — specifically, that the applicant ‘genuinely intends to stay in Australia temporarily to carry out the activity for which the visa is granted’.
SBS News has seen the letters of rejection issued to multiple members of the group by the Department of Home Affairs.
SBS has contacted the department but had not received a response at the time of writing.
One of the key criteria for assessment is whether the applicants have previously travelled to Australia, complied with visa conditions, and provided sufficient evidence of their genuine intention to stay temporarily as entertainers.
Marsha Gusti, president and founder of KwaYa Australia, said the decision has devastating consequences not only for the young performers but also for their charity partners and supporters in Australia.
In a letter to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke appealing the decision, she wrote: “Are we now saying that only those who have already entered Australia can be trusted, while first-time visitors, no matter how strong their evidence, cannot?”
“If this precedent holds, then we are effectively closing the door permanently on cultural exchange with new African participants.”
If this precedent holds, we are effectively closing the door permanently on cultural exchange.
Marsha Gusti, president and founder of KwaYa Australia
The group estimates that cancelling the tour will result in an $80,000 direct financial loss, with up to $600,000 in potential sponsorship and fundraising opportunities now in jeopardy.
Gusti said she was “absolutely flummoxed” by the decision, questioning what message it sends about Australia’s reputation on the world stage.
“The Ubuntu Africa program just sent a bunch of kids over to the UK. They travelled for two months and were celebrated all across the UK … they were first-time travellers just as ours were,” Gusti said.
“Are we now not welcoming cultural performers? Do they have to have been here twice? And how do they get to be here twice if they’re not allowed here once?”
Gusti also questioned whether the same decision would have been made if the group were a sports team, asking: “Is this a cultural thing?”
Faith Nasande says she hopes the government will reconsider their decision. Source: Supplied
Hope remains as performers appeal for a second chance
Adding to the confusion, three of the performers, including choir conductor Faith Nasande, had previously been approved to travel to Australia in 2020 as part of an earlier tour.
However, their trip was cancelled due to COVID-19 border closures.
KwaYa Australia said it was particularly disheartening that students who had once been granted visas were now being refused.
Speaking from Kampala, Uganda, Nasande told SBS that while she understood the government’s decision, she hoped that it would be reconsidered given her previous approval.
“Hopefully if things go well, I’ll be able to meet you guys in Australia officially. I think you’re amazing people. I’ve known you to be amazing people from the different people I’ve met here in Africa, that have been to Australia before,” she said.
“I would request the government to just give us another chance to allow us to come share our beauty, our culture and everything. And before they know it, we shall be back to Africa.”
Also speaking from Uganda, program manager Barnett Twesigome said the choir had been in rehearsals for two months, and that while visa applications were submitted three months ago, the government’s decision came only a few days out from their flight, which is due to leave this Friday.
“The [Australian] government has been good to us so far. I will just wait for the response of the appeal, but I know they are trying to protect people from immigrating there and I know any country could easily do that,” he said.
“But I just want them to know that we are not that kind of people. We are a very well-established organisation and we don’t want to jeopardise anything.
“Ubuntu means togetherness. So togetherness regardless of where you come from or regardless of which continent you are at. So we are together and that’s what we continue to emphasise.”
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